05 November 2007

School pranks are a timeless tradition. And usually a good one too. Kids get their fun, usually at little real expense to others. But sometimes things get taken a little too far. For example, building a brick wall in front of the student parking lot is a pretty good prank. Renting an airplane and buzzing the crowd at a football game? That might be great in theory, but in application? Yeah, not so good.

A 17-year-old Hopewell High student was apparently acting on a dare when he did a fly-over prank at a Hopewell High football game Friday, at one point dipping below the stadium lights.

The pilot and his two teenage passengers took laps over the field, once reportedly coming within feet of a flag pole. On their final lap they dropped a pair of shoes and a football into the end zone. At least they had good aim on that one.

Maybe good pranks come with maturity. Or maturity brings common sense which allows one to do a good prank. For example, if one was to conduct a dangerous, illegal fly-over at a football game, they would be smart enough to cover up the tail numbers on the plane. The teens at hand didn’t, and were flying so low that people were able to take down the numbers and alert authorities. As a result, sheriff’s deputies were waiting for them when they landed. No word on whether one of the suspects was shoeless.